Category Archives: Moods/Seasons

Exclusive Malts – Bowmore 11yo – 53.6% ABV

April 10, 2013 Jewmalt

Islay region – 53.6% ABV– US only — Price: unknown at this point.

Day 3 of my Exclusive Malts reviews.

On this day we travel to Islay to visit the Bowmore distillery, one of Islay’s most beautiful distilleries.

Most of my favorite bottlings of Bowmore are independent bottlings (a great example was Master of Malt’s 26yo Bowmore – holy crap, that was an amazing, amazing, amazing whisky).

Let’s see how this one plays into the I-prefer-indy-Bowmore-bottlings-playbook…

On the nose – Big, smoky, meaty with hints of spent match sticks and balsamic vinegar.

Damp and smoldering (?) cardboard and, deep in the background, UK parma violets, lavender and chrysanthemums.

Burning tires and hints of chicory. Balsamic reduction and beef ribs and spent cigars.

This is a big man, male chauvinist pig of a whisky. In an Archie Bunker sorta way, I dig it so far!

On the mouth – Damp wood, earthy forest floor, farmyard barn on a rainy spring day.

No heat at all and a great mouth feel! Campfires and damp tents. Wow, this is truly yummers.

Chocolate covered pastrami on rye. Like the sandwich has been bronzed in chocolate.

If you could bronze with chocolate (I guess it’d just be called “chocolated” then, right?)…

Boozed raisins, dates and sulphured figs.

Finish – More of the sulphured figs (add to that apricot).

In sum – Please don’t be scared of this word “sulphured” as this is not a sulphur-y whisky. Go to your local health food store and buy sulphured dried fruit. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

This is a massive whisky that has the digestive feel of a fernet branca. End on a good note, end your evening with this one.

Thanks again to the folks at ImpEx for the sample!

Mortlach, This one is a bit of hard work!

Exculsive Malts – Mortlach 17yo – 53.3% ABV

April 9, 2013 Jewmalt

Speyside region – 53.3%ABV – US only — Price: unknown at this point.

Day two of the Exclusive Malts reviews.

Interestingly enough, after having my little fun with the term “nut skin” yesterday, two people unsubscribed from my posts. As sad as this is, I gained three new subscribers and a few very nice emails.

Please know that on occasion, in addition to having fun reviewing whisky, I have fun using the humor of my inner nine year old boy. Sorry if this offends some but, hey ho, I’ll keep doing what I do and will be ever thankful for all of you out there enjoying my posts.

Speaking of “doing what I do,” I’ll move on with my review of this 17yo Mortlach:

On the nose – I’m struck first by the scents of bruised apples and apple cider vinegar. It’s quite present and tough to get past (thankfully, I’m enjoying those notes).

Freshly kneaded dough with a high yeast content and highly sugared cereals. Speaking of cereal, I’m reminded of a fine muesli and golden raisins, too.

Hot cinnamon and apple sauce (currently warming apple sauce). Grilled lemons.

With water it gets a bit more savory with touches of baked tomatoes.

On the mouth – Thinnish mouthfeel with a keen focus on the malt character of the whisky. Honied water and just a hint of smoke in the background.

Cracked white pepper or, is it just peppery? Hmmm…

Rubber party balloons (or balloon animals), lemon fizzy candies and well, that’s about it I’m afraid. So far, the nose wins out. Let me add some water to see if it opens this one up…

Water adds a great amount of texture to the mouthfeel of this whisky and begins to align the nose with the flavors. Adding water to this whisky was a good choice.

After about 20 minutes, it now, in an odd way, reminds me of Redbreast 12yo Cask Strength.

Finish – A surprisingly long finish filled with fruits and again that touch of smoke.

In sum – While not as approachable or easily dissected as the Clynelish I reviewed yesterday, a bit of patience and water pays off. This would be a good whisky to have as part of a tasting. Compare this to some other Mortlachs. It’s an odd duck out from others that I’ve had but for those up to a challenge, this can be a good dose of fun!

Breakfast Whisky, Clynelish, Springtime

Exclusive Malts – Clynelish 15yo – 53.5%ABV

April 8, 2013 Jewmalt

Highlands region – 53.5%ABV – US only — Price: unknown at this point.

Many of us here in the states have not heard of the Exclusive Malts or The Creative Whisky Company who are responsible for bottling this selection of single casks. The Exclusive Malts range is a new range to the US brought to this side of the pond by the fine folks at ImpEx Beverages.

So, what makes this line of whiskies so special? I’d say it comes down to David Stirk, owner of The Creative Whisky Company, and his ability to consistently choose and bottle fine and fun casks of whisky, both young and old. In the UK and EU, Mr. Stirk is known for bottling good hooch; I’m just glad that he and ImpEx are working together to bring some of these bottlings our way.

I was sent 5 samples in all from ImpEx (thanks again!) and we will launch the review of the Exclusive Malts range with this 15yo Clynelish. Bottled at cask strength and matured in what I assume is an ex-bourbon cask – the bottle simply says “aged in oak.”

On to the review; begin the begin:

On the nose – Quite a classic representation of Clynelish – waxy smelling, a touch of smoke, lemon bars and paraffin. Bright wood spice nose – a house in the framing stage of being built – fresh sawn wood.

A touch of mild mustard seed. Actually, if one could figure out a way to candy mustard seeds, I imagine it’d smell a bit like this.

Fresh tropical fruits and some crushed pecans (sans any bitter nut skin). Boy, nut skin just sounds wrong – forget I even mentioned nut skin. Seriously, stop with the nut skin!! *Why* are you obsessing…

MOVING ON!

Some warmed caramel or perhaps the caramel from a Milky Way bar.

On the mouth – Oh, hell yes. Warming and oily mouth feel. Much of what we got on the nose with a touch of hayseed to boot.

Waxy, spicy (not overly so)… Actually, the spice is increasing here — if you’ve ever had Dailuaine, the level of spice is similar to Dailuaine. Very nice.

Plastic candy wrappers, wax wrappers for vanilla caramels.

Finish – From mouth coating and oily to a medium length, slightly drying finish (like biting into a red grape seed).

In sum – Here is where knowing how to bottle a good cask at the right time pays off. This is a great whisky that’s both easy going but also has wonderful levels of complexity to it. At 53.5% ABV, it’s not hot at all… very approachable and perfect for a weekend morning pick-me-up. Start your day with this one (so long as you’re not driving or operating heavy machinery… or have to vote).

nut skin.

A World of Discovery, Autumn, Kornog

Kornog Peated French Whisky bottled at 46%ABV – “Taouarc’h Pevared” Sauternes Cask

March 28, 2013 Jewmalt

Brittany region of France – 46% ABV – £62.50

Kornog whisky is French distillery Glann ar Mor’s peated offering. Glann ar Mor produces whisky much the same way the Scots do with copper pot stills and malted barley, water and yeast. They matured their whisky in either Ex-Bourbon barrels of Ex-Sauternes barriques (both first fill).

Sadly you can not find this whisky in America just yet.

I wish I had more time to discuss this distillery but I am currently short on time today so I need to go right to the tasting notes (please forgive my out-of-time-ness and laziness!!):

On the nose – Quite and odd and interesting start to this whisky. The peat components start off reminding me of Connemara-style peat (somewhat “artificial” in character with hints of soy sauce).

Coming back to this and the peat softens and becomes more wood-like: tree bark deep in the woods on a spring day with just a dash of cinnamon.

French onion soup – am I’m not saying this because this is a French whisky – the beef broth and onion notes are somewhat pronounced. Over cooked date compote.

6 months ago when I bought the bottle I didn’t dig this. Right now, I am enjoying it *greatly*. Let’s see how the flavors go.

On the mouth – Much sweeter than the nose led on. Barley syrup, malted barley and some buckwheat honey.

Somewhat thin mouthfeel but the flavors are there.

Carob beans and fresh spring earth. This is peaty but not smoky at all.

Oh! Little Debbie Nutty Bars! All of these flavors hit you somewhat quickly then the drying quality kicks in.

Finish – Quite dry with cinnamon and medium length.

In sum – A curious whisky that is worth your time and consideration. I have about ¾ of a bottle left to try and will continue to evaluate it. The good thing is that it is enjoyable and urges to you drink a bit more deeply. I’m a sucker for Sauternes cask maturation, hence my purchase of this whisky. I will explore the brand further to see what their whisky is like in ex-bourbon and, cask strength. Keep your eye on this distillery. I think they are starting to tell a very interesting story…

Bruichladdich, I'd not drink this one if I were you..., Let's celebrate!, Port Charlotte

Two Bruichladdich distillery-only “Valinch” bottlings. One is sublime, the other is like drinking a dead muskrat.

February 22, 2013 Jewmalt

And so it goes with single casks; and so it goes with whisky in general… While many whiskies can be average to really good (in the “non-point-based” scale system or, the “how-was-the-overall-experience?” system) some can also be great, amazing, etc… and every now and again, life changing.

There are also, from time to time, some amazingly bad whiskies out there.

Today I am reviewing two Bruichladdichs and these whiskies are so polar opposite, I thought it’d be great for them to share blog-post space.

Before moving forward, I must say that I have a particular devotion to Bruichladdich. I am so in love with their spirit and their evolving story is something of great interest to me. Also, The Laddie Ten is currently my #1 go-to whisky these days. I consider it to be, perhaps, the best 10yo whisky on the market. Period.

So, let’s start off with the really-really BAD Bruichladdich. It’s called “Coming of Age” and it is one that I got in August of 2011.

Bruichladdich Coming of Age “valinch” bottling. 58.7% ABV – Palo Cortado cask, 9yo

On the nose – A drying, yet previously soaked, coffee filter filled with last week’s, and now moldy, Luizianne coffee.

The musk of a feral ferret that has both the mange and rabies. Also like smelling chocolate covered death. Horrific from the get-go and magnificently so.

Seriously, I never nosed a such a bad smelling whisky, ever. Yet like being unable to look away from a train wreck, I can’t stop nosing it. “It can’t be *that* bad, can it?!” asks me. “Yes, yes it can” I reply.

On the mouth – This is like licking a blood soaked rusty prison shiv. I feel like my blood might mix in. It’s sort of scary.

Flat root beer meets flat cola meets gauze pads loaded with browned and dried iodine and blood.

Hey, great mouthfeel!

My mouth is coated with flavors of a five pound bag of dead mice. Chicory galore and more coffee (albeit OLD coffee).

Finish – Why won’t it stop. It’s endless and surely taking years off of my life.

In sum – The best balanced worst whisky I’ve ever had. Plain and simple. Much like that dead rodent in the walls of your office, this is a conversation piece. I highly recommend you get a bottle if you can find one!

Port Charlotte Prediction “valinch” bottling. 63.5% ABV – 9yo (wine finished? Not enough info on the bottle.)

On the nose – Milk chocolate and warm milk drenched digestive cookies. This was quickly followed everything very vegetal including celery with celery salt and freshly snapped dandelion stems.

Light white wine-like notes mixed with malt and LOTS of it. This is more like a heavily peated Bruichladdich than a lightly peated Port Charlotte (if you catch my meaning).

The final sniff test offers up some lime popsicles. Yum!

On the mouth – Much peatier than the nose offered me. White grapes and a shaker of pepper. Other than this, very similar to the nose. Overly enjoyable.

Elegance without being delicate. Like drinking a female body builder (that still looks like a lady).

Great mouthfeel. Very much one of the things I look for in a whisky.

Finish – Long and peppery and sweet and like a super treat

In sum – When it comes to the peaty treats, this is what I look for in a whisky. It’s got everything.

I pour this only on special occasion and today’s special occasion was comparing it to the abortion that was the “Coming of Age” Valinch.

guidscotchdrink.com’s review of the “Coming of Age” death-whisky is much more flattering than mine…

Jewmalt Whisky Reviews